Graduation
by Katana Rimnisky
Summary: Tales of a girl growing up.


'Hamilton Heights High School Cordially Invites You to Witness the Graduating Class of 2004 at six o'clock, Saturday June 5th'. That's what the ugly off-white and orange lettered invitations said to all of those who were sitting patiently for the occasion to begin. In the cafeteria everyone was paired up with a friend or if you didn't get the memo you were stuck with someone you didn't even like. The boys were all wearing bright pumpkin colored caps and gowns, while the girls were wearing ghostly white caps and gowns. The only color seen on the girls were the dark colored dresses underneath their gown or the orange and white tassels on their caps. Each line went through two separate doors and walked down the hard wood floor of the gymnasium passing all the dull blue folding chairs that were only for them to sit in. As they walked through the aisle, the bleachers, normally half empty during basketball games, were filled to the rafters. Jessica only saw a blur of people as she passed by. The line of graduates turned the corner between the last row of folding chairs and the high school marching band. The other line did the same. Each line met in the middle for their walk up the middle. Finally, everyone was seated as the Valedictorian walked up on stage. Caitlin made her speech. It was quick and full of one-liners. Jessica liked that speech, because it was the only one worth listening too. Jessica spent most of her time watching the interpreter for the hearing impaired. She made signs of bids flying, ocean waves, or that's what Jessica thought she was doing. It is fascinating to watch how all these hand gestures meant something and people actually understood them. One by one the speakers ended their speech and it was time for each individual to be recognized by announcing their entire name along with whose son or daughter they were.

"Jessica Elizabeth Vessey, daughter of Ronald Lee Vessey and Barbara Ann Vessey," announced Mr. James the heavy-set vice principal announced. Jessica walked up on stage she passed school board members that she had never met before. She finally met up with the school's principal that resembled Clark Kent. She shook Mr. James hand and took her black book containing nothing with Hamilton Height's High School engraved on the cover. Jessica walked on to the opposite side of the short stage, down a couple of steps to receive the class choice white rose and receive bright flashes of light in her eyes from family members taking "moment in time" photographs with disposable cameras they bought at Wal-mart. Jessica walked to her seat wishing she could leave, because her part in this journey was over. The entire class felt the same way she did. They all rose to their feet, put their tassels on the opposite side and exited from the world they had been so accustomed to. Being a child and not having any worries was their life, and now they had to start all over again. It wasn't fair. Life isn't fair.

Jessica left with the others and waited for her family to find her. Zach like a gentle giant picked her up and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. He took her hand and pulled her through the crowd. As they are pushing their way through the crowd Zach says he's taking her out to dinner, and then she remembers that she had to go back into the school to get her actual diploma. They go back hugging and kissing on one another as they passed by everyone. Finally, they arrive at their destination. She receives her belongings and they rush out the door. They rush to their separate vehicles. Jessica was rushing to leave in her car which was most unusual. She prided herself as a cautious but great driver, but her mind was somewhere else already celebrating her achievement. She was thinking about going home, changing into a silky black dress and going out to their favorite place to eat-Olive Garden.

She drove out of the parking lot through the back entrance out on to some side streets before making her way to the state road right out front of the high school. There were cars gleaming with street lamp lights for miles. Town police and sheriffs were directing the traffic. Jessica made it just passed the first main entrance when all of a sudden bright red brake lights came on in front of her. She tried to stop but she instead nose-dived the front end of her car underneath the bed of a teal Ford Ranger. She backed her car out from underneath and shut the engine off. Jessica got out and ran to see if the people in the truck were alright. Jessica's father came rushing to her side. He hugged her and asked if she was alright. She told him the she was alright, but she really wasn't. She was angry at the situation, angry at herself for rushing and not paying any attention to her driving. She was upset because her car was totaled and she knew that she would have to pay for the damages to the other cars. Yes, "cars". The Ford Ranger scraped the bumper of the Lincoln in front of it when Jessica's car lifted the rear end up. No one was hurt badly. However, the guy in the teal truck hit his head on the back windshield. He luckily wasn't a jerk so he didn't care about the head injury.

We sat there for two hours while the two badly damaged vehicles were taken away, and the police reports were made. After, that Jessica realized that it is not worth your life or anything to rush while driving. She also realized that the accident could have been worse. Someone could have been killed, and she could have been put in jail that night ruining her celebration plans. Her plans didn't seem to be that important anymore. Living was more important than anything. As time went on and her car sat in her drive way it became a conversation piece at her open house, a joke, and then the topic finally died. Lives, Languages, social fads, civilizations have gone through the same process over thousands of years. They start, evolve, and then something happens killing them off. Is the world really this repetitive, continuing this Circle of Life.


End file.
